it And though there were no other reason to moue vs to it but his bare command yet were that reason strong enough to bind vs Sic vult sic iubet stet pro ratione vâ—luntas The power of a King the authority of a Father the place of a Maister necessitatis the subiection and obedience of a Subiect Childe and Seruant But GOD is our King our Father and our Maister hee hath an absolute ineuitable and vncontrouleable power and iurisdiction ouer vs Therefore his very bare command should condition and controule vs without more adoe But secondly besides the precept there is a most heauy curse which vnlesse a man do loue GOD hee cannot scape For though our loue of GOD bee not the causâ— why but a signe that GOD will blesse vs yet our hatred or Non-loue doth deserue his curse Therefore Saint Paul denounceth him accursed that loues not the LORD IESVS who is GOD ouer all blessed for euer Amen Thirdly except wee loue GOD wee cannot worship him For true worship is Loue ioyned with duety towards a mans superiours So that where there is no loue there is but counterfeit seruice or none at all And indeed as hee that loues not GOD cannot worship him so neither can hee loue his neighbour for GOD and in GOD And Hee that loueth not his brother is not of GOD but abideth in death Certainely hee that loues not the father as the father loues not the sonne as the son loues not his brother as the childe of GOD as the brother of CHRIST as the childe of the Church which wee all ought and who so doth not shall haue small reward And that the necessity of this duty may yet appeare let vs know that as iron is vnfit to bee wrought on vnlesse it bee heated in the fire and as waxe will not seale well except it bee warme and soft euen so are wee till wee bee inflamed with loue till that holy fire hath heated vâ— Till then the Word the Sacraments the Minister his Binding Loosing Preaching Praying Blessing will bee of no true reckoning with vs and wee shall take no comfort in them And say that a man had the loue of all men say that hee could speake all Languages in the world and were able to remoue Mountaines to cast out deuils to cure all diseases to heale all wounds and should crumble out all his goods to the poore suffer for the truth do and suffer many things for his Country yet if he loued not GOD he might truely say with Saint Paul Hee were Nothing And thus wee see the necesity of louing GOD. A second argument of this duety is from the Equity thereof For seeing Almighty GOD doth loue vs as it appeareth by his Electing Redeeming Sanctifying and Preseruing vs in CHRIST IESVS his beloued Sonne it is a matter of equity that wee should remonstrate our loue vnto him in that his Sonne and the rather also because our loue to him comes short in measure of his loue to vs For GODS loue is a Descending loue but our loue to him is an Ascending loue and loue descending is more naturall more vigorous and more vehement then loue ascending As wee see in fathers and mothers who loue their children better then their children loue them And reason may bee giuen heereof For GOD knowes vs better then wee know him And there is no corruption no vitiosity of nature in him as there is in vs Wee are not so good and candid of naâ—ure as Hee Neither haue wee any thing of ours in GOD to loue as hee hath in vs for wee and euery good thing in vs is of GOD. Besides GOD loues vs that deserue his hatred being by nature dead in sinnes and children of wrath and bringing forth many rootes of bitternesse and fruites of iniustice how vnequally then should wee deale with him if wee should not loue him who deserues our loue being most louely in himselfe and bearing such loue vnto vs. What is man saith Dauid vnto GOD that thou art so mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou thinkest on him And what is GOD ô man that thou art so vnmindfull of him bearing so small respect and loue vnto him If it bee vntolerable ingratitude for a man to be loued of a man and to receiue continuall tokens of loue from him and yet in the meane time not to loue his louer and to show no signes of kindnesse towards him What horrible impiety iniustice and vnthankefulnesse is it to bee beloued of GOD and to returne no loue vnto him to receiue daily testimonies of loue from him and yet to shew no loue vnto his Name Farre be this vneuen and vnthankefull dealing from vs that owe more loue vnto him then wee can expresse in worke or word Nimis durus est animus qui si dilectionem nâ—lebat impendere nâ—lie rependere His heart is Oke not flesh but flint that though hee will not beginne to loue yet finding loue will shew no loue But GOD doth loue vs out of his loue hee sent his Sonne his onely Sonne the Sonne of his loue into the world to saue vs Hee sends vs fruitfull seasons and fils our hearts with gladnesse It is his mercies that wee are not consumed they are renewed euery morning Yea we should bee very vniust and iniurious vnto our selues if wee will not loue him seeing as the Apostle teacheth All things life and death health and sickenesse same and reproach plenty and penury prosperity and aduersity worke together for good vnto those that loue GOD. And what reason is there that wee should desire his loue to vs and with-hold ours from him Or what reason haue wee to require loue of our wiues children seruants neighbours acquaintances if wee care not to shew loue to him who hath adopted married and assumed vs vnto him Or finally with what equity can we desire that our commands should bee respected of those that depend on vs if wee make no count of this duety which drawes on all the rest which he exacteth and expecteth at our hands Wee see then that common sense and Equity extorts it from vs and cals vs to it Thirdly the commodities of this loue should moue vs to the entertainement and performance of it For first by this loue our faith produceth those good duties which we owe to GOD. For Faith is as an Hand Receiuing but by loue we giue and bestow and without it wee can do no good workes well Therefore the Apostle saith that Faith worketh by loue And as Saint Austen speaketh Our life and all our conuersation is named of our loue Nec faciunt bonos vel malos mores nisi boni vel mali sint amores Which being good or bad makes our manners to be thereafter such as the loue is such is the life a holy loue a holy life an earthly loue an earthly
with him in Aegypt did not loue him as their brother till hee had made himselfe knowne and till they were verily perswaded that hee was their brother so wee shall neuer loue GOD as his children till wee acknowledge him for our Father and bee by faith perswaded of his loue Fourthly I said that loue was Kindled in the soule For the loue of GOD is a Coelestiall Fire seruing to comfort and refresh the heart and to inflame it with an holy zeale and to consume these filthy vapours of malice enuy pride treachery and such other noysome lusts as arâ— within him Fiftly I say it is kindled by thâ— HOLY SPIRIT therefore Saiâ—â— Paul cals it the Fruit of the Spirit for if the hatred of GOD be a worke of the flesh and from the motion of the Deuill then the true loue of GOD must needes bee the worke of the Spirit who enlightens the minde inspireth faith and perswades the heart to loue and delight in GOD How much are wee bound to GOD of whose pure loue to vs it is that wee haue any loue to him He comes downe to vs before we go vp to him Hee drawes vs before we run and lookes vpon vs before we turne our eyes to him LORD what is man that thou regardest him or the sonne of man that thou so thinkest on him What shall I render vnto the LORD for all his benefits towards mee O my GOD and my King I will extoll thee and will blesse thy Name for euer and euer Finally I said that loue doth knit our hearts to GOD and makes a man take him for his chiefe contentment For as hatred doth rend disioyne and separate So loue doth vnite knit and tye together Loue married Iacob and Rahel loue vnited Dauid and Ionathan and so our hearts by loue are wedded and vnited to GOD and for GOD to one another That they might bee knit together in loue saith Saint Paul 'T was Loue that made our Sauiour pray that all his Members might bee One with Him and his Father and it is loue also that makes vs deny our selues and the world and study to liue so as if wee were not ours but GODS 'T is hatred that breeds dislike auersation and discontentednesse And so it is loue that causeth ioy delight contentment When loue hath once possest the soule it moues it to ioy in GOD to make him her prime contentment and to exclaime with the Psalmist Whom haue I in heauen but thee and I haue desired none on earth with thee GOD is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer And vndoubtedly what thing soeuer a man doth best loue that to him is his best contentment for loue causeth content as the light doth comfort and contentment is imbarked and enbotled in it as a Tree in a Barke as water in the clowdes Therefore the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to loue signifies to rest in or to bee contented And thus wee haue seene what loue is The Obiect on whom this loue heere spoke of should bee fixed is the LORD euen hee who is gracious and mercifull slow to anger righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes Euen he whose greatnesse is incomprehensible and whose wisedome is infinite which made heauen and earth the sea and all that is therein and keepeth his fidelity for euer which executeth iustice for the oppressed giueth bread to the hungry loueth the righteous healeth those that are broken in heart preserueth all that loue him fulfill the desires of all that feare him releeueth the fatherlesse and widdow and sheweth mercy vnto thousands to them that loue him Euen hee I say that remembred vs in our base estate cut the cords of the wicked rescued vs from our oppressors deliuered vs from our sins brought vs from our errours translated vs out of Babylon saued vs from that Purple Harlot shewed vs his Word giuen vs his Gospell honoured vs with peace deliuered our Rulers rescued his Annointed and saued vs all both Church and Kingdome from that Hel-made horrid and prodigious Powder O LORD how great is thy loue vnto vs how amiable is thy Name in all the world Blessed bee thy Name for euer and let all thy people say Amen The Personâ— who are exhorted to this Loue are All GODS Saints euen all they that haue tasted of his loue and which in mercy hee hath hallowed for himselfe euen All of them yong and old rich and poore high and low men women and children for in saying All hee exâ—epteth None the Yong men for their strength Old men for their wisedome the Rich for their wealth the Poore for their correction the High for their greatnesse the Low for their meanesse with which vertue and piety commonly cottens best with Men for their supereminent honour Woemen because hee hath graced their Sex by bringing forth of a Sauiour and Children for his great care and manifold protection of them and all in generall for their Sanctification by grace on earth and eternall Saluation in immortall glory in the Heauens But are none bound to loue the LORD but his Saints Yes without doubt the Law ties all for all are of his making his goodnesse reacheth vnto all and hee is the Sauiour of all But Dauid heere speakes vnto Saints onely being such as himselfe most delighted in and of whom hee best hoped being best affected and such also as whom GOD doth most deerely loue and honour with his greatest fauours Our lesson then from hence is this All of vs euery mothers child without exemption of any should loue the LORD But because as hee that speakes Greeke or Lattine to him that is no Grecian or Latinist is but as a Barbarian to him and does but beate the aire So the Language and discourse of loue to him that loues not is but barbarous and vnpleasing as sounding Brasse and a tinckling Cymball Tâ—erefore that wee may conceiuâ— and reape profite by these things which shall bee deliuered concerning our loue of GOD it behoues vs to blow vp the dying and fainting coales of this heauenly and holy fire within our breasts And seeing that the eare tasteth words as the palate doth meate let vs haue vnderstanding and attentiue eares that discerning the things we shall heare to bee good wee may receiue and digest them and like prudent hearers shewforth the fruits therof in our liues conuersations First then I say Necessity lies vpon vs to loue the LORD Woe vnto vs if wee loue him not For first it is GODS expresse commandement Thou shalt loue the LORD thy GOD and now Israel saith Moses what doth the LORD thy GOD require of thee but to feare and loue him This our Sauiour calleth a Great Commandement the Commander is great the Obiect is great the vse of the duety is great and their reward is great that take care to do
life If a mans loue be set on GOD his life must needs bee good And though this bee certaine A man is iustifyed by Faith yet this is true The life of a man is iustified by Loue a naughty loue a naughty life Againe his life is good whose loue is fixt on good and what greater good then GOD who is the good of goods and nâ—thing but Good Secondly this loue doth poise and season knowledge which without loue would bee windy light flashy and vnsauory Knowledge without Charity makes a man to swell and bluster but the loue of GOD and of man for GOD will make the best learned most humble and officious Meate vndigested breeds corruption but being digested it affoordeth nourishment and strength so knowledge vnlesse it bee boyled and concocted in the stomacke of the soule with this sacred fiâ—e of loue to GOD and of man for GOD it engendreth crudities windinesse and diseases euen corrupt conditions in heart and life but being by loue digested it is very nourishable and of great vse Yea further as shewers of raine occasion store of weeds except there bee heate and drinesse to receiue alter and digest them but being by the drought of the ground and heate of the Sunne turned and concocted they make the soile more fresh and fruitfull Euen so the words of instruction exhortation admonition communication counsell consolation straining from the Scriptures in the Ministery of the Church and falling vpon men become vnprofitable and dangerous to them except they bee tempered and receiued by loue But being by loue embraced and as it were digested they bring forth in them the fruites of righteousnesse and make them more fat and fertile much more seruiceable to both GOD and Man Yea whereas meate by heate is turned into the body and dewes and shewers into the earth and hearbes By loue the word is not turned into vs but wee rather into it being brought vnder the obedience of it and now no longer seeking and seruing the flesh but studying to conforme our selues to it and wrastling against our lusts that it might possesse vs guide and order vs. O Loue by thee I go out of my selfe that the Word of GOD might enter in by thee I warre against my selfe that it might raigne in peace within mee by thee I mortifie mine earthly members that it might liue might like and prosper in mee Thirdly by the loue of GOD wee may know in what estate wee are in A man by grace within him may know the grace of GOD vnto him A may by looking vpon a Dyall may know the motion of the Sunne in heauen so by sifting his owne soule hee may see the good will of GOD vnto him I see not the aire but I can perceiue the operation of the aire neither do I see the heart or loue of GOD as it is in his owne breast but there are certaine operations of his loue euen in the hearts of men which if they truely find they may assure themselues of his loue vnto them Now that loue whereby a man loues GOD is a work of GODS loue whereby he loues man So that he that loues GOD may conclude that GOD loues him For GOD cals no man effectually but out of his loue vnto him But as Saint Paul sheweth hee that loueth GOD is called of his purpose And againe If any man loue GOD saith hee the same is knowne scientiâ approbatiuâ That is acknowledged and loued and approued of him And Saint Iohn saith Wee loue him because hee loued vs first For our loue springs out of his as the Riuers from the Sea his loue drawing our hearts vnto him as the Loadstone doth iron to it or as the Sardius doth wood our loue answering to his loue as an Eccho to a mans voyce or as a face doth to a face in water And as one candle doth lighten another so the consideration of his loue to vs doth cause the reflexion of our loue to him Which our consideration of his loue vnto vs is a gracious operation of his loue within vs being a fruit not of the flesh which is bent against GOD but of the Spirit which proceedeth from GOD And for because the haters of GOD and the louers of worldly things are of Babylon of the world of the deuill and seeing the louers of GOD are of Ierusalem of the Catholique Church our Mother of GOD our Father and haue their sinnes forgiuen Interoget se vnusquisque quid amet inueniat vnde sit ciuis Let euery man but examine himselfe what hee loues and he shall finde in what estate he is and to what Citty hee doth belong T is true I confesse a man is not loued because he loues but because hee is loued therefore hee loues And as the Sunne shining vpon a plate of siluer is not idle and void of operation but heates the plate which sendeth from it both light and heate So GOD shining with the resplendent and burning beames of his loue vpon vs is not now idle and voide of all successe but inflames our heart with loue by which wee are both well affected towards him and for his sake also towards others that as no man can stand by or meddle with that plate of siluer which shall not receiue of the light and heate of it so no man can as it were passe by vs or haue any dealing with vs but wee shall shâ—w our good affection towards him Fourthly the loue of GOD is not lazy if it labour not it is no loue Our loue of GOD ingenders in vs the loue of the godly for GOD which is also very comfortable For as hee that loues the King as King cannot but loue his faithfull and loyall subiects And as hee that loues the father cannot will not doth not hate his childe and as hee that loues his friend will not misuse his picture So he that truely loues GOD will also loue those that by their godly conuersation doe shew themselues to bee the seruants and children of GOD and which are the liueliest pictures of GOD which mortals can see And this kinde of loue is comfortable because heereby we may assure our selues to be the true Disciples of our LORD and know as the Apostle teacheth that we are Translated from death to life And as many boughes come from one roote and much water from one spring so many vertues arise from this loue and as Gregory speaketh Non habet viriditatem ramus boni opeâ—â— nisi manserit in radiee charitatis the workes of all vertues will but wither except they remaine in the greenenesse of this Roote except they bee nourished by this loue The loue of money the loue of mammon is the roote and nourisher of all euill so the loue of GOD is the mother and nurse of all good of all pious Offices vnto GOD and Christian duties vnto man And in one
5. Math. 7. 12. Rom. 12. 20 Rom. 13. 7. 8. Why wee must bee humble toward our inferiours 1. Cor. 4. 7 1. Pet. 5. 5. Luk. 18. 14. Scal. ex 301 Sec. 1. What loue is The obiect of loue The property of loue Loue of GOD what Loue is an affection Loue a grace 1. Cor. 3. 5. Phil. 2. 13. Ouid. Loue is froÌ„ knowledge 1. Cor. 13. 9. 12. Vision of Grace of Glory The last point cleered by Similies Why men loue GOD no better Loue is as a threed and knowledge a Needle Loue springs out of faith Ps 16. 2. 5. 103. 1. 3. 4 1. Tim. 1. 5. A Similie A Similie Why a maÌ„ hates him that loues him A Similie Loue a fire Gal. 5. 22. Loue the worke of the Spirit Ps 144. 3. Ps 116. 12. Psal 145. 1. Loue knits vs to God Col. 2. 2. Ioh. 17. 21. The fruits of hatred and loue Psa 73. 25. 26. A simile GOD the obiect of this loue Ps 145. 8. 17 Psal 145. 3. 147. 5. 146. 6 7. 8. 147. 3 Ps 145. 19 20. 146. 9. Ex. 20. 6. Nouem 5. 1605. Who ought to loue GOD. Obiect Solution Psal 145. Math. 5. 1. Tim. 4 10 Doctrine Barbarus his ego sum cum non intelligâ—r vlli Ouid. Iob. 12. 11. Reason 1. Why wee should loue the LORD from the necessity thereof Deut. 6. 5 10. 12. Mat. 22. 38 GODS precept binds vs to loue him Except we loue GOD we shall be cursed 1. Cor. 16. 22. Rom. 9. 5. No loue no worship Scal. ex 317 s 3. No loue of GOD nâ— loâ—â— of the goâ— â— h. 3. â—â— 14 GODS ordinances profite not him that loues not GOD. Without loâ—e good deeds faâ—our of â—en â— â—e nohing â—oâ—â—h 1. Cor. 13. 2 2 d Reason To loue GOD is a matter of equity GODS loue to vs desceÌ„ding Ephe. 2. Psal 8. 4. 8. 144. 3. August Ioh. 3. 16. Col. 1. 13. Lam. 3. 22. 23. Rom. 8. 28. The equity of our loue further explained 3. Reasons from the profite of loue 1. Commodity Gal. 5. 6. â—ike as thâ— loue 〈◊〉 the lâ—â—e 3. Commodity 1. Cor. 8. 1. A Similie A Similie 3. Commodity of loue By the loue of GOD a man may know his estate before GOD. Rom. 8. 28. 1. Cor. 8. 3. 1. Ioh. 4. 19. Eccles 1. 7. A Similie A Similie Luk. 7. 47. Aug. in Ps 64. A Similie 4. Commodity of our loue of GOD. The loue of GOD makes vs to loue the godly A Similie 1. Ioh. 3. 14. 5. Commodity A Similie A Similie 6. Commodity A Similie Psal 139. 21 22. 4. Arguments of loue to GOD from the excellency oâ— it Excel 1. 1. Ioh. 4. 7. Iam. 1. 17. Excel 2. Excel 3. Excel 4. Excel 5. Excel 6. Excel 7. 1. Effect of loue 2. Effect of loue 1. Ioh. 4. 8. 3. Effect A Similie Excel 8. The reward of the loue of GOD. Iam. 2. 5. 2. Tim. 4. 8. Why it is called the crowne of righteousnesse Ps 16. 11. Pro. 27. 24. * By I say not For. 1. Cor. 2. 9. Mar â—4 44. Iudg. 4. 19. 22. Excel 9. What IEHOVA CVRIOS DOMINVS and LORD do signity Ps 104. 27. 145. 16. Psal 3 4. 9 10. Ier. 32. 27. Iob 5. 12. 23 Iob 9. 4. 12. 16. 17. Pro. 21. 30 Psal 24. 8. Iob 12. 19. 21. Iob. 9. 10. 11. Isa 40. 22. 23. 1. Cor. 1. â— Psa 146 6 Psa 100. 5 Ps 145. 17 Psa 96. 13 Psa 116. 5 Psal 146. 9. 2. Sam. 22 28. Isa 40. 29 Iob. 36. 15. Iob. 8. 20. Psal 84. 11. Iob. 13. 16. Psal 16. 2. Iob. 22. 2. 3 Iob. 35. 6. 7. 8. Psal 85. 9. 91. 14. 145. 20. 1. Pet. 1. 5. 9. Mal. 3. 6. Iam. 1. 17. Is 46. 10. 11 Ier. 31. 3. Ioh. 13. 1. Ier. 32. 40. Psal 94. 14. Fiue reasons why GOD should bee loued aboue all things 1. Reason 2. Cor. 12. 15. 2. Reason Pro. 30. 16. 3. Reason 4. Reason 5. Reason Act. 10. 34. Psal 16. 6. Psal 23. 5 Heb. 6. 10 Dan. 12. 3. Gâ—â— 1. â—7 2â— Psalm 8 7. Exod. 20. 3 Leuit. 19. 12. 18. Numb 14. â— 12 13. Deut. 6. 7. 11. 19. Ephe. 6. 4. Iosh â— 8. Iudg. 2. 17. Ruth 1. 16. 1. Sam. 1. 11 24. 28. 2. Sam. 22. 23. 24. 1. Sam. 20 4. 17. 1. King 3. 26. 2. King 18. 4. 1 Chron. 21. 24. 1 Câ—â—â—n 29. â— 2. Chron. 1. 10. 2. 1 Psal 132. 3. Reu. 1. 6. Eâ—â—a 3. 11. 1. Tim. 3. 15 Neh. 13. 17 Ester 8. 6. Nouemb. 5. 1605. Iob 13. 15. Psal 16. 2. 40. 8. Prou. 30. 8. Eccles 1. 2 12. 1. Cant. 1. 1. 6 2. 5. Iam. 4. 4. Why men should not dote on the world 1. Ioh. 2 15. What the world is Reu. 17. 2. 4 A Similâ—e The world is vnconstant Ps 102. 27. Iam 1. 17. Num. 23. 19 Iohn 13. 1. Ier. 32 4â— Psa â—9 33. August Reasons against the loue of the world Prou 23. 5. Why men should not loue riches Seneca Psal 62 1â— Who is most rich Why the loue of pleasures should not hinder our loue to GOD. Why GOD seemeth not so sweete to some Heb. 11. 25 Eccles 11. 9 Plutar. Tâ—ll A Similie Est 7. 10. Judith 13. 8 Why honouâ—s should not steale away our hearts A Similie Act. 12. 22. 23. A Similie Pro. 31. 30. The vanity of beauty How beauty hath bin called A Similie How a mâ— may loue himselfe Heb. 12. 9. Psal 18. 2. 144. 2. Mark 8. 36. 1. Note of true loue Gregor True loue is laborious Gen. 31. 40 41. 2. Note GOD is to bee loued for himselfe 1. Cor. 10. 33. 2. Cor. 12. 14. 19. Phil. 4. 14 17. Rom 9. 3. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 4. 13 14. 15. Ex. 32. 10. 12. Ex. 32. 32. Gen. 22. GOD is to bee loued for his blessings and the order how A Similie Iob 6. 3. 8. 14. Iob. 13. 15. 3. Note of true loue 4. Note of true loue A man louing GOD truâ—â—y loues none more then GOD. Ouid. Seneca GOD will haue the Throne or else bee gone How a maÌ„ may loue other things 5. Note of loue Pro. 30. 15. 16. 1. King 22. 2. Sam. 13. 2. Can. 2. 5. Griefe or sickenesse of soule waiâ—s on loue This sickenesse is not loue but from desire Loue ends not when this desire ceaseth Nâ—te A Similie Psal 63. 1. 9. Psal 63. 3. Ioh. 3. 16. Eph. 2. 4. 8. Tit. 3. 5. Our loue to GOD a signe of his to vs. 6. Note of true loue Ps 119 97. Bernard The fruits of loue Diuine Humane Ier. 23. 24. Presence in case i. as absence 7. Note Pro. 17. 17. True loue is coÌ„stant Plautus The praise of the Martyrs 8. Note 1. Iohn 5. 3. No loyalty no loue Good deeds are without loue of little or no account The vertue of true loue GODS Will the Rule of Law 9. Note of true loue GOD
set it on drawne from an act of GODS grace to some and of his iustice to others expressed in the words ensuing In the exhortation three things are to bee obserued first the duety required Loue secondly the obiect of it the LORD thirdly the persons of whom it is to be performed All his Saints Of loue first Amor est affectus vnionis Loue is an affection of vnion Quo cum re amatâ aut vnimur aut perpetuamus vnionem By the which wee are either vnited or doe continue the vnion with the thing beloued Or Loue is a certaine motion whereby the heart is moued towards that which either is Truely or Seemingly good desiring to draw the good vnto it selfe that it might enioy it For the obiect of loue is good And though a man sometimes loue an euil yet it is to him a seeming good And the Nature of loue is to vnite and Knit diuerse things together and of sundry things to make one And a regular and true-hearted loue is that which causeth vs to loue a thing because it is good in it selfe and not for any base or by-respect With this loue wee ought to loue GOD and our neighbor for GOD. The loue then wherewith we are exhorted to loue the LORD is an Holy affection Whereby wee loue GOD in CHRIST IESVS for himselfe Or it is a Gracious affection of the Heart arising out of Knowledge and Faith in GOD and kindled in the soule by the HOLY GHOST by which a man is ioyned Knit to GOD taking delight and content in him more then in any thing besides First I call it an affection of the heart because with it the heart is affected and inclined affections being certaine motions of the heart where they haue their seate and being Secondly I said it is a Gracious affection for to loue is a worke of Nature but to loue an obiect Wâ—ll that 's truely Good as is the LORD is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worke of Grace For wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues Therfore our sufficiency strength to loue a right obiect rightly must needs bee from the Grace of GOD Who worketh in vs both the will and the deed of his owne good pleasure Thirdly I say this loue ariseth out of the Knowledge and Faith in GOD. For Quod latet ignotum est ignoti nulla cupido Things vnknowne are vnaffected and loue is according to a mans acquaintance A man cannot loue GOD before hee know that GOD is and that hee is good and therefore worthy loue sweete and amiable and according to that measure of knowledge that men haue of him and of his benefites and according as they ponder and remember them so they may be said to loue him And for because our knowledge of him is in this world nothing so perfect as it shall bee in the world to come therefore also our loue on earth is not so perfect as it shall bee in the heauens when besides the vision of Grace wee shall attaine vnto the vision of Glory When Wee shall see face to face and know as wee are knowne as the Apostle speaketh to the Corinthians Will yee see this in the glasse of humane practise A child not knowing the worth of siluer preferres a Counter to it Barbarous people not knowing the benefites of learning loue it not The couetous man knowing the vertue of gold hoords it loues it as his GOD A good soule knowing the vilenesse and dangers of sinne shunnes it loathes it and perceiuing the benefites of true Religion loues it followes it and experience shewes that many men places things are vnloued and vnregarded because their vertues properties excellencies are not knowne to them that do looke-ouer and neglect them Hee then that would loue GOD let him learne to know GOD If men knew him well they would not loue him so ill The reason why men commonly are so farre in loue with pleasures profits and preferments is because they know the sweetnesse of them though they proue often bitter to them in the latter end so as that they might iustly wish they had not knowne them or had knowne better how to haue vsed them So surely our knowledge of GOD would stirre vp our loue did wee know him and vnderstand his perfections well and truely hee would rauish our hearts but the loue of the world doth raise vp such a mist within vs as that our eyes are darkened the starres of our vnderstanding are clouded so that we see not wee thinke not of his louely Nature we cannot behold his Beauty But let vs dispearse these fogs and labor to know him that we may bee fit to loue him Loue like a thrid sowes our soules to GOD but the way is prepared by knowledge as by a needle And as concerning Faith certaine it is that faith in the loue of GOD makes a man returne his loue vnto GOD for till a man beleeue that GOD doth loue him and is reconciled to him hee comes not to him So long as hee apprehends nothing but wrath hee flies him as his enemy and being punished hee repines and murmurres as male-conted But when a man comes to bee perswaded of GODS fauour to him and begins to haue affiance in his mercy forth-with hee begins to draw neere by loue vnto him hee sets his heart vpon him and in loue preferres him to all the world And the more hee beleeues the more he loues his soule is ready to say with Dauid Thou art my LORD and the portion of my inheritance My soule praise thou the LORD and all that is within thee praise his holy Name which forgiueth all thine iniquity and healeth all thine infirmities which redeemeth thy life from the graue and crowneth thee with mercy and compassion The truth of which wee see confirmed by Saint Paul who saith that Loue is out of a pure heart and a good conscience and of faith vnfaigned Without the which faith also there is neither pure heart nor good conscience This wee may illustrate by the dealings of men who will not make a league of loue with them whom they trust not but rather abandon all society with them On the contrary whom they dare trust them they dare liue with in whom they haue confidence in them they do delight and of whose loue they are perswaded them they will loue and shew kindnesse too And wee see by experience that one flame licks another to it and one fire draweth another so one loue also begets and drawes another And if it happen that a man bee hated of him to whom hee beareth loue it is because hee that is loued takes no notice of nor feeles the loue which is borne vnto him Let vs therefore haue faith in GOD for as wee beleeue so shall wee loue Without doubt the brethren of Ioseph when they met
nothing in the world which doth deserue our loue so as GOD doth or which should stand cheeke by ioule with him in our affections For first a man may loue men and yet not bee loued of them For as it sometimes falleth out the more that some are loued the lesse they loue affecting them least that loue them most But the more any man loues GOD the more hee may bee sure that GOD loues him Not that GOD is drawne to loue for the merite of our loue But because our loue to him is a fruit of his loue to vs and increaseth as his Euen as the more heate is which commeth from a wall or from the ground the more it argues that the Sunne beats vpon it Secondly earthly things as riches honour credite preferments and the like cannot giue a man such contentment as may bee found in GOD. For they are momentany and vncertaine but GOD is cerraine constant and eternall They are mingled with some-thing which may displease vs But GOD is altogether profitable and full of pleasure A man may bee glutted with them hee may loue them too well hee may surfeit on them hee may ioy so long in them as at last hee may bee punisht with his owne perdition but no can bee too full of GOD Hee will cloy no mans stomacke no man can loue him too much too long for the measure of louing him is to loue him without measure the end is endlesse it is a debt which is alwaies due vnto him and for euer which a man must bee euer a paying and neuer haue done paying And further although a man had all pleasures all wealth and honour that the whole world could affoord him yet if hee gaue way vnto his minde hee would still wish for more and delight in change For the Round world and all that 's in it is not able to fill mans heart that is Triangular and vnsatiable as fire that neuer â—aith it is enough For if any man bee content and thinke he hath enough it is out of discretion because hee sees no true contentment can come from earthly things But GOD because hee is the fulnesse of good a pure and a perfect Truth Beauty and Perfection is able to giue true and full contentment to the soule to all the soules of men yea though there were 2 thousand thousand worlds of men Thirdly wee loue men whose fury reacheth not vnto the soule and whose loue sometimes can doe but little good But the wrath of GOD is the woe of man his anger reacheth vnto the soule his indignation is more terrible then the roaring of ten thousand Lyons But in the light of his countenance is life his fauour is like the dew vpon the grasse or as a cloude of the latter raine his loue is euen our life the fountaine from whence our holines and happines our grace and glory our comfort contentment springs Fourthly our loue to the creature is ioyned with feare and care least the thing we loue should take some harme Res est solliciti plena timoris amor Our friends may bee kil'd or hurt goods may bee stollen houses may be burnt a mans stocke may be wasted his credite may be weakned his seruant seduced his children misvsed and his wife corrupted A thousand mischances mâ—y happen vnto these things which are subiect to fire and water winds and weather birds and beasts sinne and sickenes Men and deuils But GOD is liable to no such thing in himselfe Hee is ouer all vnder none altogether blessed Impassible immutable Inuincible Inuiolable Finally whereas some will bee loued of some but contemne the loue of others GOD with whom there is no respect of persons accepts of euery man that loues him yea though the loue of all men can adde nothing to him euen as also in louing other things men are often iealous enuious and malicious and will endure no riuals no competitors which is cleane otherwise in our loue of GOD for so powerfull is the grace of GOD in those that loue him as that it makes men desirous of companions A man that addicts himselfe to some man is afraid of another least that hee creeping into his loue should hinder his gaines But GOD hath enough for all that loues him hee is able to giue them all so much as that they theÌ„selues shal say They haue enough Hee is so well able to satisfie them all as that euery one of them might say The lines are fallen vnto mee in pleasant places yea I haue a faire heritage Thou dost annoint mine head with oyle and my cup runneth ouer And though it fall out sometimes among vs that wee will dislike him that doth increase our acquaintants followers or such as shall hang vpon vs to be relieued and maintained by vs yet it is not so with GOD For if any man shall conuert sinners vnto him and increase his friends if true tho not vncostly to him the same man doth a worke pleasing to him and doing it out of loue hee shall not loose his reward For GOD is not vniust to forget your worke and labour of your loue saith Saint Paul which yee haue shewed vnto his Name And they saith the LORD that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer And indeed wherefore were the Apostles sent abroad into the world but to gather Disciples to him and to increase his followers Aâ—d that I may yet presse this poiâ—t a little more being of so great importance Tell mee how shall man shew himselfe thankefull vnto GOD. except hee loue him for creating him in his Image How shall hee excuse himselfe if hee loue him not seeing he hath not planted him in a world vnfurnished but hath prepared him all things needfull Light for seeing Aire for breathing Meates for feeding Cloâ—thes for couering and hath giuen him rule ouer the Fish of the Sea the Fowles of Heauen and ouer euery beast that moueth vpon the earth Wee are forbidden to haue any other GOD vnto our selues but the LORD which hath brought vs out of the land of darkenesse the region of death and deliuered vs from bondage vnder sinne and sathan which wee shall neuer bee able to obserue vnlesse by loue we deuote and wed our selues vnto him How shall wee sanctifie the Name of the LORD and not defile it except wee loue it How shall wee meerely vpon GODS naked Precept forget an iniury and â—ot auenge our selues if â—he loue of GOD do not perswade vs Will any man with Moses post-pose his owâ—e greatnesse to the glory of GOD except hee loue â—im and will hee bee carefull that those which are committed to his care should not behaue themselues aâ— rebels and start-awaies vnlesse tâ—e loue of GOD enforce him How can parents bring vp their children religiously instruct them in GODS Commandements carefully and bring them vp as they are required in the
called it modici semporis tyrannidem a tyrant which raigned but a while Theophrastus said it was Tacitam deceptionem aut silentem fraudem a Still deceiuer or Silent fraud And as for beâ—utifull persons if vicious and voide of loue to GOD they are like Tulipees goodly to looke on but of no good sauour Or like Alablaster boxes filled with vineger like guilded pot-sheards or more properly like a ring of gold in a Sowes snowt or some precious iewell in a Beares eare And finally if beauty the gift of GOD be of so great request how much more then should GOD the giuer of it who is so full of beauty as that if His Beautifulnesse could bee seene it would draw the eyes and hearts of all that saw it to him But say if none of these what shall haue thy loue Thy selfe Beware if thou makest thy selfe thy GOD thou makest thy selfe thy diuill Certainely thou maist loue thy selfe so thou loue GOD in thy selfe and thy selfe in GOD and whilst thou dost loue thy selfe vnder GOD and not ouer GOD For GOD and not against GOD Otherwise if thou dost loue thy selfe thou dost but hate thy selfe if thou wouldst saue thy soule thou shalt destroy thy soule For GOD is the Soule of thy soule the Ioy of thy heart the Strength of thy life thy Shield and Shadow thy Sauiour and Deliuerer Much better were it therefore for a man to leaue his body and to loose his life rather then by louing what he should not loue at all or more then is allowed to loose and depriue himselfe of GOD who is the true Light and Life the Grace and Glory of all our soules and bodies also What shall therefore separate vs from the loue of GOD the Father of our spirits the Breath of our nosthrils the Castle of our comfort our Rocke of defence and the Fountaine of Life What shall extinguish this Sacred and Celestiall fire of loue vnto his Maiesty within our breasts What shall vnloose vs or cut the cords of our loue whereby wee are tyed vnto him What shall wipe him out of the Table-bookes of our hearts and blot him out of our memories Shall promotions profites pleasures beauty brauery tribulations life death men or diuels No no nothing no not the whole world and all that is therein What were it to gaine all the world and to loose thy soule What were it to bee Lord of all the world and to bee depriued of him for whom all the world was made What were it to bee beloued of all men and yet to bee hated of the GOD of men I will therefore loue GOD keepe GOD for hee that hath GOD wants nothing but hee that wants GOD hath nothing Now because to loue GOD truely and as euery good Christian ought is a duety so needfull equall excellent and commodious and because men are much abused by their immaginations the heart of man being a Sea of subtilty and a Mine of deceipt giuen to deceiue and beguile it selfe I will therefore propound certaine notes whereby wee may discerne if wee loue him truely with a sincere and regular affection or whether wee onely draw neere vnto him with our lips being far from him in regard of hearty loue First true loue is not lither but laborious Si operari renuerit amor non est it if it will not labour it is not loue What paines will not the Soldier take that affects the victory what wil not the worldling do to get or keep riches How did Ester labour to saue her kindred Country-men the Iewes Iacob indured the heate of the day the frost of the night and want of rest euen continuall toyle and trauell in a seruice of foureteene yeares vnder none of the kindest Maisters Laban his name turned but his nature retained a very Naball and all this for his loue to Rahell Our Gamesters will sit vp night and day at dice and cards Our gallant Dames out of their loue of brauery what cost will they spare what time will they not spend in making changing dressing pluming pranking And is the loue of GOD onely lazy sleepy sluggish and vnwilling both to do and suffer It is not doubtlesse Secondly hee that loues GOD truely and with a well regulated loue will loue GOD chiefly for GOD himselfe euen because hee is Good Excellent Perfect and Amiable in himselfe and not for those Loue-tokens onely which GOD in loue doth daigne to giue him For to loue one meerely for gaine is not to loue him that giues it but our selues that take it If this bee well considered it is to bee feared that many men loue GOD as they vse to loue their friends that is not for their friends sake but for themselues not because their friends are Religious Iust Wise Vertuous but because they receiue benefites as money meate credite and such things by them But Saint Paul was of a more generous and truer Spirit For he saith I seeke not myne owne profite but the profite of many that they might bee saued And againe I seeke not yours but You and doe all things that you may bee edified And againe yee haue done well that yee did communicate to mine affliction Not that I desire a gift but I desire a fruit which may further your reckoning And yet more fully I could wish my sefe to bee sepâ—rated anathematized from CHRIST my life my light my glory For my brethren that are my kinsmen in the flesh If they might be receiued he passed not though himselfe were reiected if they might be saued hee cared not though himselfe were excluded out of heauen so they might bee blessed hee could wish himselfe were accursed Thus the Galatians loued the Apostle They despised not his trials not his pouerty and afflictions but receiued him as an Angell of GOD and to haue done him good could haue found in their hearts to haue pulled out their owne eyes and haue giuen them vnto him This true loue also was seene in Moses to GOD and his Country-men For when they had in his absence made them an Idoll and prouoked GOD against them by their idolatry insomuch that GOD speaking to Moses said Let Mee alone for I will consume Them but I will make of Thee a mighty people which was a tempting offer but marke how Moses took it Hee most earnestly besought the LORD to spare them preferring their good to his owne greatnesse which argued the truth of his loue vnto them and intreated the LORD to turne from his wrath and why Least his enemies should blaspheme his Name and say Hee brought them out maliciously to slay them in the mountaines esteeming more of GODS glory then his owne greatnesse and aduancement Yea so louing hee was of the people but especially so iealous of GODS glory that rather then hee would haue them destroyed or it eclypsed hee wisheth himselfe To bee razed out of GODS Booke So
then to contemne and skorne others and â—steeme all as Cyphâ—rs in comparison of themselues What more vngodly then to glory of riches honours dignities noblenesse of birth wit strength beauty vertue as if they were not â—he free-giftâ— of GOD as if men were not obliged to him for them Againe what more iniust then pride For a proud man ascribes more to himselfe then is due and takes that from others which is due vnto them What more contentious then pride Therefore Salomon saith Onely by pride doth man make contention Pride hath euer beene a setter on foote of all heresies and schismes that euer were in the Church and is a notorious Make-bate in Common-wealthes Kingdomes Citties and priuate houses Harder it is for a man to keepe peace with the proud then with any and impossible it is for one proud person to agree sincerely with an other except peraduenture in such a case as this when as one out of his pride will endure no man to bee aboue him and another being proud of humility or humiliation rather will not like that any should be vnder him These two perhaps may liue friendly together being though both proud yet in a different respect Finally what can be more mishapen and ougly then this vice of pride which makes a man vnlike to GOD whom to bee like is mans greatest Honour and like to the deuill who is the father of pride and by pride ouerthrew himselfe What more certaine signe and effectuall worker of any mans ouerthrow then pride Pride goeth before destruction saith Salomon and an high mind before a fall What more hatefull and wastefull enemy to all vertues and all good things a man hath then pride By pâ—ide a man is spoyled of them all Therefore as men take heed of Theeues that rob and spoyle so and much more should wee beware of pride Quae insidiatur bonis operibus vt pereant which marres all good things and turnes them vp side downe If an humble man be proud of his humility hee hath lost of his humble minde and is become puft with pride If a man be proud of his beauty he hath lost his true beauty and is a beautifull foole If a man bee proud of his wisedome hee is become a foole if hee bee proud of his wit an Asse hath it in keeping if hee bee proud of his pouerty hee is rich in pride if hee bee proud of his riches hee is poore in piety Now what a woefull and odious sinne is pride which is not onely euill in it selfe but it turnes the nature of good things as they say thunder doth good drink and as venemous beasts turne whatsoeuer they eate into venome so pride makes the proud man turne all his thoughts words and workes into pride whiles hee draweth and referreth euery thing to his owne praise and honour Thus pride becomes like a moth or worme which frets the cloath and eates the wood wherein it was bred For pride springing of vertue corrupts it and there is no good thing so excellent which becomes not euill so soone as this wicked vice hath tainted it It behoues vs therefore to fly this wretched vice which wee cannot vnlesse wee submit our selues to GOD and his Ordinances vnlesse wee confesse him to bee the Free-Giuer of all good things we haue vnlesse wee cut off that errour of conceipt whereby wee thinke better of our selues then there is reason vnlesse wee seeke to GOD for his helpe and finally vnlesse we remember that GOD resisteth the proud but giueth grace to the humble and that Pride as one prettely speaketh was bred in heauen but hauing as it were forgotten which way it fell from thence it could neuer afterward finde the way thither backe againe Secondly the consideration of Gods iudgements vpon the Proud should teach vs as Dauid would haue it to loue the LORD who hates and punishes that sinne aboundantly that is or ought to bee so odious to vs. Seeing therefore GOD takes part with vs against the proud and by hating them shewes the goodnesse of his owne Nature and in that hee plagues them being euer the bitterest enemies to his truest friends it behoues vs and the rest of all GODS Saints to delight in GOD and loue him and in loue to submit our selues vnto him If we loue not him wee do not loue our selues but if wee loue him truely wee do truely loue our selues and wee are not in our owne opinion onely but truely beloued of Him which is infinitely much more worth then if all the world besides him did affect vs. Neither need wee care how ill the world thinkes of vs if he thinke well of vs as a sober and chaste woman cares not how other men are conceited of her so be it her husband like well of her and truly loue her or as a loyall subiect who makes more reckning of his soueraignes loue then of the frendship of all the traitors in the world Now the God of loue work and confirme this loue within our hearts that we may liue and dye in his loue and at length obtaine a full and finall fruition of him whom we doe loue receiving the reward of our loue the euerlasting life and happinesse of our soules and that by the merits of that his beloued Son Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons but one Euerliuing Euerlouing God be all loue and honour all praise and power now and euer-more Amen FINIS ERRATA PAge 25. l. 2. read commination l. 3. read streaming P. 39. l. 11. read Laf-ford and whence p. 58. and last line read if all 4. Reasons of louing God Math. 23. 9 Iam. 1. 18. Psalm 139 13. Psal 71. 6. Iob. 10. 8. 11. 12. 2. Reason 3. Reason Ioh. 3. 16. 4. Reason Iob. 12. 7. Psal 8. 6. 7. 8. Of the manner how wee ought to loue God Mat. 12. 37 1. With all our heart A Simile Pro. 23. 26. A Simile Augusâ—ine Si totum me debeo pro me facto quid addam iam pro me refecto Bernard A Simile 2. With all our soule Our life and senses should be bestowed vpon God 3. With all our minde God mâ— haue oâ— thoughâ—â— vnderstanding Of self loue Why and how a maÌ„ should loue himselfe Augustine Gregory Why our neighbour is to bee loued 5. Reasons of louing our enemies Math. 5. 44 Colos 1. 22 Rom. 5. 8. Math. 5. 45 46. Mat. 5. 47. Gal. 6. 10. Rom. 12. 20 Rom. 12. 17. How our neighbour is to be loued Mat. 22. 39 Sanctè Iustè Verè August Perseueranter Of the coÌ„stancy of loue Gal. 6. 9. Heb. 13. 1. 1. Cor. 13. 13 Of faithfulnesse 7. Reasons oâ— Fidelity Reu. 2. 20. 2. Tim. 4. 7. 8. Psal 94. 14. Psal 146. 6. Ier. 32. 40. Mat. 1â— 22. Heb. 1â— 39 Reu. 21. 8 Of humility Iam. 4. 7. 10 Ex. 20. 12. 1. Pet. 5.